Greg,

I agree, rowing on the Concept II machines can be good conditioning for sailing. Or, if you want a taste of some maritime tradition, you can opt for the old wooden pilot gigs. Below is our crew (top boat) after finishing second in the 2001 Snow Row on Boston Harbor.


And this picture as we prepare for the Lemans style start in the 2002 race. (Yours truly holding the bow of "Red Wing".)


I'll be in Boston for the 2003 race tomorrow. So far, the training has been mostly of the "visualization" variety. That, and a healthy dose of Vitamin I (Ibprophen) seem to get us through to the finish.